Recently, the Southwest Center for Independence tried to draw attention to an overlooked civil rights law by sketching a humorous depiction of a stick man falling out of a wheelchair with some chalk.
For some, this was an outrage! Many wondered, “How could this rude group surprise area businesses and agencies in such a way without warning them ahead of time?”
The ADA has been a law for 26 years. That seems like fair warning. In truth, there are several more businesses and agencies in our area with similar violations. We felt this was the most efficient and light-hearted way to shed light on the broader issue. Currently, the disability community is the largest minority group in America. As the baby boomers reach retirement age and life expectancy continues to rise, this group’s numbers will grow exponentially. Let’s hope the rest of them share our level of patience and sense of humor.
Jason Ragsdell
Durango
Jason Ragsdell is the program manager at Southwest Center for Independence
